I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of time measurement devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to an analog timepiece having an independent hour hand adjustment switch.
II. Description of the Related Art
In most states of the United States, clocks must be reset twice per year to accommodate daylight savings time. With typical analog clocks the individual must turn a single knob that not only moves an hour hand, it also inconveniently moves a minute hand. Requiring the individual to remember the exact minute at the moment of correction activity is significant inconvenience. Further, this type of clock generally has the knob in the rear of the clock, requiring the individual to handle or remove clocks which are mounted on walls. It is desirable to be able to change the hour indicated by the hour hand without disturbing the position of the minute hand or affecting the timekeeping of the clock.
Others have devised analog clocks to assist the individual in changing the hour indication without moving the minute and, if provided, a second hand. However, these clocks have complicated mechanisms and are not readily adaptable to existing clocks.
A watch described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,403 by Billet has an epicyclic speed reduction gearing to drive an hour hand from the minute hand. The watch has an epicyclic gear train which drives an hour hand spindle, a selectively rotatable hour setting wheel, and guiding means operatively connected between portions of the epicyclic gear train and the setting wheel. Although this complicated arrangement is capable of moving the hour hand alone, the individual is responsible for locating the hour hand placement to be in proper relation to the minute hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,210,721 granted to Kikuchi describes an analog universal watch has a pawl fastened to an hour wheel which engages with a ratchet wheel fastened to an area dial spindle so that an hour hand spindle is driven indirectly. An hour hand correcting wheel engages with and releases a hand setting stem to set the hour hand alone to the desire time. This device is also complicated with multiple gearing arrangement, and is not readily adaptable to existing clocks.
A timepiece described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,156 by Vaucher has a first and a second toothed wheel coaxially mounted on an hours pipe, a jumping device coupling the first and second wheels and a star gear intermediate the first wheel and a ring for permitting the wheel to drive the ring. The first wheel is in gear with the dial train, and is mounted to rotate freely on the hours pipe. The second wheel is secured to the hours pipe for rotation and has a means for permitting the second wheel to be operated by the stem for correcting the position of the hours hand without rotating the ring. As with the other mentioned devices, the gearing structure is complicated and is not readily adaptable to existing clocks.